Sir, – Seanad abolition would render our Constitution devoid of democracy, and arguments for Seanad abolition are completely short-sighted, reactionary and selfishly populist. A reformed Seanad has huge participative, representative, expert and oversight potential.
While it is true there has been justifiable public dissatisfaction with the effects of party political dominance in the Seanad, and while it is also true that reform of the Seanad has been more spoken about than acted on, we believe that a serious reform of the Seanad done in time to take effect from the next general election would be greatly preferable to simple abolition entailing, as that would, 75 separate amendments to the Constitution, including the deletion of entire articles.
This referendum can very easily be classed as farcical – the choice we get is abolition or nothing, neither the Seanad or the Dáil gets reformed, everything just stays in its present form. Why can we not have a reformed Seanad and reformed Dáil?
I, along with my colleagues in Lawyers for Seanad Reform, do not disagree that the Seanad requires reform – everything needs modernisation and updating after 90 years. This Seanad reform could easily be achieved through legislative enactment, and our proposed Seanad Reform Bill demonstrates this. If our proposed Bill for Seanad Reform were introduced, the Seanad could claim a greater democratic mandate to go about its business. For the first time in Irish politics there would be gender equality, as the Seanad Reform Bill includes a gender quota. At present Ireland’s rate of female representation is 15.67 per cent, a record high, but lagging behind the world and our EU member state counterparts.
In advance of the referendum, we welcome, and indeed urge, a considered, inclusive and informed public debate on the Seanad, its functions and its reform, to ensure Irish citizens, North and South alike, consider the full implications of this anti-democratic constitutional proposal for Seanad abolition. – Yours, etc,
CAROLINE
BERGIN-CROSS, BL,
Treasurer of Lawyers for
Seanad Reform,
Law Library,
Four Courts,
Dublin 7.